Perry Maddox explores the art of influencing people more senior to you and shares how to effect change well beyond your role.
Several years ago a colleague pitched an idea to me while I was making a cup of tea.
“We need a dishwasher,” he began.
Pointing out the state of the kitchen, he explained how a dishwasher would solve our problems. It would reduce the dirty dishes. We would use less water. Think of the time we’d save.
I thanked him for sharing the idea. As I returned to my desk, I thought: nope.
A Good Idea isn’t Good Enough.
On the surface, his proposal made sense.
So why didn’t I act on it? A good idea isn’t good enough when it comes to influencing up. There’s a lot more to persuading someone to take action.
Of course a good idea is the starting point. Just don’t rest your case on that idea alone.
Understand the Issue before Influencing Up.
So you’ve got a great idea.
Now step back and ask a few questions. If this is so great, why hasn’t anyone done it already? Give them some credit. They might have considered it already. Scan for reasons they might not act on your idea:
- Is it risky, complex or resource intensive? Examine the bigger picture. What would they have to stop doing elsewhere? Why are scarce resources best used here? What’s the outcome to justify a leap of faith?
- Is it too personal? Check that your idea isn’t simply something that you want disguised as organisational improvement. We all smell a self-serving “helpful idea” a mile away.
- Does it address the problem? Don’t confuse a solution with the problem. The lack of a dishwasher wasn’t the problem, nor would it solve the true problem of inconsiderate colleagues.
What you’re doing here is thinking beyond your perspective. We all see the world differently, and this is about persuading others. Don’t let your perspective limit your idea.
Know Your Audience or Fail at Influencing Up.
I didn’t care about a dishwasher.
At the time, I had oversight over about 8000 young leaders around the world and was in the middle of managing a crisis overseas. Good idea, but I had bigger fish to fry.
Know your audience.
- Choose the person who will make your idea happen. Many people grab the most senior person they can, forgetting that senior roles focus on strategic issues. Better traction may be gained elsewhere. Bring the right level of idea to your audience or find a better audience for your idea.
- Learn how they work. How do they like to receive a proposal – written or verbal, formal or casual? What sways them – facts or emotions, personal appeals or big picture thinking? What motivates them – fear or opportunity, risk or growth?
- See the issue through their eyes. I once proudly told a donor how we’d created £80 million of impact. He was unimpressed. Because his foundation donated £4 billion annually, my big idea was insignificant to him.
- Speak their language and speak to their passion. Sure, I like a clean office, but that doesn’t light my fire. It’s not where I want to use my energy. If you want to move someone, you need to be moving.
Above all, demonstrate how your idea will help them. The best influencers don’t pitch good ideas at people. They ask, listen and then speak to the needs of their audience.
Make it Easy to Say Yes.
Now for the fun part.
When the time comes, help your audience to say “yes.”
- Remove barriers. Imagine if my dishwasher friend had presented a completed procurement form and the budget workings to justify the expense. I would have signed it right there.
- Think timing. There’s a reason fundraisers contact donors as the tax year winds down. When’s the best time for your audience to say yes? For me, it wasn’t during a rare moment of calm.
- Choose the best approach. There’s nothing worse than a 5-page idea coming in via email. Find the easiest way for your audience to receive your idea, recognising that senior roles have less time. Be ready to say far less. You may only get a couple minutes, so drill it down.
How you pitch an idea is as important as the quality of that idea.
This is Leadership.
Remember, having a good idea doesn’t make it the best idea for your audience. Beware of tunnel vision, especially when you’re excited about your idea.
Influencing up is among the purest forms of leadership, because you’re leading without power. Like all leadership, it is an art. It takes practice, so don’t wait.
You might even end up with a shiny dishwasher.
